Coastlines is our last unit on gradational forces. When we study coastlines, we are talking about the formation and destruction of beaches, the evolution of coastal features like headlands and stacks, and fragile environments like coral reefs.
Assignment - Complete ALL of the sections below, and post the answers to the questions by FRIDAY, MARCH 19
1. Go to the Guardian newspaper's picture gallery of the Top 10 beaches in the world. Scroll through the images and write down which beach you would most like to visit and why.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/gallery/2007/feb/16/top10.beach
2. Coral Reefs Face Extinction within next 50 years! Learn about why we need to protect our coral reefs - or your days as a snorkeller are over. Scroll through ALL of the articles and comment on TWO things that you found interesting.
Coral Reefs face extinction in 50 years
Coral Reefs cradle for new species
Healthiest Coral Reefs hit hard by climate change
Assignment - Complete ALL of the sections below, and post the answers to the questions by FRIDAY, MARCH 19
1. Go to the Guardian newspaper's picture gallery of the Top 10 beaches in the world. Scroll through the images and write down which beach you would most like to visit and why.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/gallery/2007/feb/16/top10.beach
2. Coral Reefs Face Extinction within next 50 years! Learn about why we need to protect our coral reefs - or your days as a snorkeller are over. Scroll through ALL of the articles and comment on TWO things that you found interesting.
Coral Reefs face extinction in 50 years
Coral Reefs cradle for new species
Healthiest Coral Reefs hit hard by climate change
Out of all of these magnificent beaches, I would most likely want to visit Las Islas Cies, Galacia, Spain. The beach has a unique coastline, in the shape of a crescent moon, and somehow manages to combine two types of dramatic landscapes: coastal and mountainous (in the backdrop; near the top of the picture). I also like the mention of the seclusion and how very few people travel there. This would then give me the opportunity to explore and wander around the sandy white beaches and idyllic lagoons (which are my favourite features regarding anything related to water) without too much commotion. I have never been to Spain, which is a good excuse to travel there; in order to learn more about the world; you have to seize opportunities by exploring the unknown.
ReplyDeleteGreat comment Liyang, but for full marks you also need to discuss the coral reefs in section two. just post another comment with the second section.
ReplyDelete1) Out of all the beautiful beaches i saw, i would say that the one i'm most interested in visiting is The Cook Islands in the South pacific. What attracted me most was the pure blue waters, white sand, and the amazing palm trees! I would most enjoy walking in along the palm trees during the hottest parts of the day, and then relaxing in the cool blue waters during sunset. The fact that it's 'necklaced by a coral lagoon' really draws me to it, and makes me even more interested in visiting this magnificent beach!
ReplyDelete2)First off, what caught my eye the most was reading article two, which was Coral Reefs Cradle For New Species. I was amazing in hearing that nearly 22 per cent of ocean floor species first appeared in reefs, and that new species were 45 per cent more likely to have originated in reefs than outside reefs. I had no idea that the majority of our world's living creatures came from such a place!
This makes me even more interested in learning about reefs, and even more concerned about their destruction due to climate change and other reasons.
The second point that i found most interesting was reading about that the healthiest coral reefs are the ones that are being hit the hardest by climate change. It's upsetting to me that things like White Syndrome is so prominent in warm temperatures, and affects our healthiest reefs. Its sad knowing that these beautiful places are being destroyed, and knowing that we still are learning about these places and about what types of life they hold makes it even more hard to hear, because when these reefs disappear it will feel like a huge part of our Planet's life is gone as well.
What is so fascinating about coral reefs to me is that they can serve the purpose of being an underwater museum; they allow researchers to access and learn about invertebrate species and other marine life dating back to the Cambrian Era (more that 540 millions years ago). However with rise of global warming, these delicate environments are facing an epidemic due to the “white syndrome”, which forces the reefs to “expel their algae… lose colour [and] nourishment” (Article 3), like a “canary in a cage” (Article 2) on the brink of extinction. I am saddened to hear that fifty years from now scientists predict that we may see the last of its kind and surprised to hear that the disease initiate from the healthiest coral populations; you would expect that the infected corals would channel the outbreak. Coral reefs benefit humans in so many ways by providing sustenance for ration and the economy, protecting coastlines from flooding, and giving us the opportunity to explore its sceneries and surroundings.
ReplyDeleteKendra Mander
ReplyDelete1.)Okay, Ms.Sawatsky, making us pick one beach is crazy, they are all look amazing. I think I could narrow it down to maybe like 3, which would be, The Cook Islands, because wow, blue water,clear skies, nice sand, not a beach covered in rocks,because we all know how much rocky beaches suck. The second would be, Porto da Barra, Salvador, Brazil because I want to go to Brazil anyways,and the third would be Las Islas Cies, Galicia, Spain I don't think I even need to explain. The picture says it all, beautifullllll.
2.) The first thing that I found interesting about the articles would be that, "The reefs provide important fish habitat and protect coastal areas from flooding. They support a vast array of marine ecosystems, which humans in turn depend on for sustenance" Which I never thought of it like that, like I thought oh, whatever, what's really going to happen? But apparently that happens, and I never thought something like a coral reef could have such an effect on people. The second thing I found interesting about the articles was that, "...animals that lived on the ocean floor since the Cambrian period, which began more than 540 million years ago." which at this point I'm just like "whoa,things like animals were alive 540 million years ago.", that's kind of a lot. Like these same species were alive back then and still exist today. Just sayin' that's kind of amazing.
Alisha Ali
ReplyDelete1) From all the beautiful beaches, I would most likely love to go visit Whitehaven Island, the Whitsundays, Queensland, Australia. The water looks quite gorgeous and it’s somewhere I would enjoy relaxing as well. I’ve always wanted to go visit Australia because the last time I was there was when I was about two or three years old. It’s such a beautiful place and this beach offers many gorgeous features. The beach looks like paradise and with various amounts of tourists who visit this location, it means it’s a great attraction. After doing some research I figured that the island received about 700,000 visitors between March 2008 and March 2009 which is quite astounding. Overall, I would love to visit this magnificent beach one day!
2) White syndrome is a coral-bleaching disease that is spreading across coral reefs. One interesting thing while reading the CBC news article, “Healthiest coral reefs hardest hit by climate change” is that it's the very healthiest reefs, the ones with the healthiest coral populations, where the disease outbreaks occur, this was an unexpected surprise to me. I would think that it would occur at a much more polluted and not as healthy reef. This is also occuring due to global warming and if the global warming continues then there will be more and more outbreaks and diseases that occur and the disease is thought by scientists to come from within the coral, not from an outside invader which is also quite interesting as well. Another interesting thing about coral reefs which caught my eye was from the article, “Coral reefs face extinction within 50 years”. The coral reefs provide a great environment for various different species but it is quite hurtful to hear that coral reefs are on a death row and can die due to the amount of acidity. The coral can bleach and die while new coral is just unable to grow. This is interesting and shocking to hear because it will cause many problems for the future but scientists can help bring solutions by drawing CO2 out of the atmosphere through measures such as geo-engineering.
WOOOW these beaches are gorgeoouss! I would LOVE to visit them all, but since i have to chose one, i would like to visit The Cook Islands, south Pacific. It has palm trees, beautiful blue water and CORAL REEFS! (I love coral reefs!)Also, it says it is 'necklaced by an azure lagoon' which I would love to see since i haven't really seen a lagoon before.
ReplyDeleteTwo things I found interesting:
Coral reefs provide important fish habitat and protect coastal areas from flooding. I was aware of the fact that reefs provide habitat for the fish and other underwater species, but the fact that they protect coastal areas from flooding is interesting!
Also,"They found that nearly 22 per cent of ocean floor species first appeared in reefs, and that new species were 45 per cent more likely to have originated in reefs than outside reefs." This shows us how important coral reefs are to us. It is fascinating how such delicate and beautiful species are so important to us and our ecosystem.
Protect coral reefs you guys!
hey guys
ReplyDeleteMy favourite beach is the one in Palawan, Phillipines! I think what attracted me the most was the splash of orange in the trees. Maybe I just like colourful trees but I also like the little houses on the water. Maybe the whole place makes me think of some forest in the middle of autumn that has a beach at the end. That really combines my favourite places into one haha!
Now two things I thought were interesting about coral reefs... I didn't know that the coral reefs stop coastal areas from flooding! How do they do that? I knew they were important habitat for fish species but stop flooding? Isn't that more reason to take care of the coral reefs because their destruction is going to affect people directly?
I also found it interesting that they find fossils in the reefs. That sounds pretty obvious but I kind of enjoy fossils. Plus, I never actually thought about fossils in the coral reefs. Coral reefs are really fragile environments and while I think that studying fossils are important, I hope they handle the coral carefully. I would hate to see coral reefs mishandled by overeager scientists just because they wanted to see some fossils.
Kevin Olivares
ReplyDeleteChoosing a beach is like choosing a winner for a Ms. universe beauty pageant. But my favorite has to be the Nungwi Beach in Zanzibar Tanzania because ithas no rocks, clear white sands, pristine turquoise waters and a tranquil weather.
Two things I find interesting interesting:
Coral reefs povide homes for millions of marine life species. It is really sad that it is very fragile, and it is even more sad that coral reefs could disappear as fast as 50 years. :(
Another iontersting thing is that coral reefs provide homes for new species of life. Moer species could exist if the reefs are properly taken care of.
Heather.....
ReplyDeleteLets be real, I want to go visit all of those beaches. But if i had to choose just one, I think I would choose the One in Spain. It is so beautiful the sand is so golden and the water is a nice greeny blue the kind that you can't really imagine until you've been there. So I for sure want to go.
Interesting things:
1) One thing I found interesting is that "Coral reefs absorb around one quarter of the world's Carbon Dioxide." I found that pretty shocking although it makes sense since the ocean is so large. But still, thats crazy, and the coral reef is not going to be around for much longer at the rate we're going.
2) Something else I found interesting is that Biologists are fearful for our health due to the coral reefs. I don't think that people think about coral reef as the base of our food chain, but I think its a bigger part than we know.
1) I would like to visit the western island group of Palawan in the Philippines because I love beaches that are different. When you look at a beach you always see sand and clear blue waters. This is unique. The mountains surrounding the beach make the whole scene more ethereal. This isn’t a place I would expect to have a beach party either, but if there is one, I know for sure it would be really extraordinary. The undercut cliffs with notches and the purple color amaze me. If I were to go to a beach, I would take my book and volleyball and definitely end up there.
ReplyDelete2) Something I found interesting is when the journalist mentioned geo-engineering. I had no idea that geography and engineering could be put together. But now I’m curious. If there was some way of pulling out carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, where would it go and how would it get there? What would it cost? Would the world be open to such an idea or would it cause controversies? If it would cause controversies then what would be the arguing side for the people against it? Is there even anything negative about pulling out some of the carbon dioxide from the atmosphere? I think that this kind of science would be in demand and that people interested in saving their environment should get into this field of study.
3) Another thing I found interesting is that if so many people are making such a big deal about the coral reefs getting the white syndrome, I don’t see anyone doing anything. The people who commented on the article are probably still driving their cars and hiking up their heating in the winters. The UN-led Intergovernmental Panel is doing nothing about climate change too. They conduct research to get the facts, which have been dispersed world wide. In fact their research methods must be improving too by now. But they never propose something that could reverse this effect. It is beautiful how so many people have got to know about global warming and its effects. It is true that educating the populations about such catastrophes is important, but its time to move on to the next step and do something big and world changing before we reach the ‘parts per million’ that is way beyond dangerous to not only the environment but us too. 2020 is coming soon. And the ‘significant part of the biodiversity’ will be lost. Then what? And if there are countries where law enforcement isn’t very good, what about the countries where it is good? Why don’t they do something within their country to set an example for the others?
1) I would love to go to the Cook Islands in the south pacific. The water is such a beautiful blue and the sand is looks so white and clean. The trees are so nice too. It looks like a nice place to get my tan on
ReplyDelete2) Two interesting facts that I found in these articles are that there’s a disease spreading on the coral reefs called white syndrome and the outbreak came from the healthiest coral reefs. Another fact is that oceans absorb around a quarter of the worlds carbon dioxide.
PEGGY
ReplyDelete1. This assignment makes me want to go back to Cuba, and just sit on the beach until forever. Out of the ten in the gallery I would have to choose the Cook Islands in the Pacific. The water and sky are a beautiful blue and the sand is clean and white. I think my favourite part is that it is hard to travel to which makes me think that it will be peaceful and serene. The Cook Islands are a secret getaway from everything.
2. One interesting thing that I have learned in the very first article is that David Attenborough is the narrator of Planet Earth AND he is an actual scientist who is leading a group that is studying deteriorating coral reefs. I think it is amazing that he has an incredible voice and that he is actually qualified and knowledgeable about what he is narrating. Another thing is the white syndrome that hits coral reefs affects the algae and it causes them to lose all of their vibrant colour and their nourishment. When we have an illness, we become pale too and that’s funny because it’s the same sort of thing with coral.
1)Nungwi Beach in Zanzibar Tanzania is the best of the 10 beaches shown. It was the rope chair that sold me on it, apart from that the beaches are all the same.
ReplyDelete2)When I was reading article three I was surprised to see that a one degree temperature shift can cause damage to the coral reefs. If something is that delicate then you shouldn’t even bother trying to save it. What’s the point if its death is inevitable? In article two Alex Rodgers says "Because if we carry on business as usual collapse is inevitable, whereas if we decide to do something about it we can make a difference to the current trajectory." If the coral reefs are as delicate as the article says they are then he’s wasting his time. The destruction of the coral reefs is now more or less a sure thing.
Matt Battocchio
Keisha
ReplyDelete1. All of the beaches in this assignment remind me of Cuba and it makes me want to go back! The white sand the beautiful clear blue water all things that I saw on my trip and now in the pictures as well. If I had the choice to pick between the Top ten beaches of the world I would choose to visit Sinclair’s Bay, Caithness, Scotland. The reason why I chose this beach is because it is in SCOTLAND!! I love Scotland and would love to visit it one day, and why not visit this beautiful beach as well.
2. Two things I found interesting while reading through the three articles given were that oceans absorb around a quarter of the world’s carbon dioxide and this carbon dioxide creates an inhospitable environment for coral reefs and causes existing coral to bleach and die. Also, it is believed that 22 per cent of ocean floor species first appeared in reefs, and that new species were 45 per cent more likely to have originated in reefs than outside reefs.
1. I really admire Sinclair's Bay, Caithness, Scotland beach because there's a castle perched over a mossy hill. The view must be magnificent up there from the castle's point of view: dark blue water as far as the eye can see, crystal blue skies, the sunset and the bounty of flaura and fauna that inhabit the area. I only wish that the "castle" would look more ancient; almost archaic since the paint job kinda ruins the scene and makes it stand out in a bad way- a turn off but that's just my opinion :).
ReplyDelete2.Hmmm... There's lots to say about the coral reefs but i feel compelled to focus on its purpose and its health.
a.) Now we all know that coral reefs act as shelter for a lot of marine animals but what striked me most as I read the article was the fact that coral reefs had other tenants:fossils. I think it's really cool that these ancient remnants managed to survive all these eras and I believe they now play a major role in saving the reefs- because they're recentenly discovered, scientists, naturalists and people in general may nurture the reefs even more as it houses yet another delicate treasure from the past.
b.)Learning about the "white syndrome" (warmer temperature causes the algae in coral reefs to detach;thus, reefs lose their color and their major supply of food) is interesting not only since algaes give off the color of reefs but the idea that the populous, most healthiest of reefs are the most affected by the disease. I wasn't really that shocked that population was a factor that brought on the disease because it's common sense that diseases just LOVE to reproduce so they look for every opportunity to spread, so reefs that cluster with other reefs tend to get infected with the sickness. Reading the article, I've learned that white syndrome is caused by warmer temperatures in the ocean. So knowing this fact... coral reefs that are more distant to their neighbouring reefs tend to be happier since they get to keep their algaes- less coral reefs in an area= less heat. Oh and I agree with Matt's comment that "[t]he destruction of the coral reefs is now more or less a sure thing." given the fact that other marine life are also touchy (one touch and they die, so why not coral reefs?); however, I'm feeling optimistic that something can be done to preserve the coral reefs to an extent- maybe, like the fossils, a cure would be discovered, but right now publicity and awareness is enough. After all, nobody wants to experience something just from a camera's point of view, go see and experience things for yourself! (lol sorry for posting so late Ms. Sawatsky the thought of this blog assignment woke me up in the middle of the night!)
Ramon Baughman
1) Ten astonishing beaches, but which one to chose? I would love to visit Arambol, Goa's northernmost beach; however, since I've already been their ( the best sand) I would like to visit Porto da Barra, Salvador, Brazil. This beach looks unique and different from the rest, it's at the entrance of the magnificent Bahia de Todos os Santos and it even has a church. The main reason I would like to visit this church though is due to the fact it is located in Brazil. Brazil is a party place with great culture and diversity and I'm sure their beaches are one of a kind.
ReplyDelete2)Coral reefs are beautiful and elegant. They contain a vast majority of unique species and the corals are all different colors. These reefs provide a home for many ecosystems which; include fish that we eat. The reefs also prevent the coastlines from flooding; which is a fact I never knew before. The first fact that I found very interesting is that warmer temperatures are helping spread the disease of White Syndrome. The corals have a symbiotic relationship with single-celled algae that live within the coral and supply much of the food needed to survive. When the corals are hit with white syndrome they expel their algae, causing the coral to lose their color and their means of nourishment. The second fact I found very interesting is that Coral Reefs are the place where the effect of the increase in carbon emissions are most easily seen. I believe the whole world should come together to reduce carbon emissions, so that many problems like global warming can be solved and we can all continue sparking for the rest of our lives.
Thank you again Ms. Sawatsky for making this due on friday night.
Garry Wadhwa
the beach that i would most want to vist is palwana philipines. the beach looks like a really cool place to be able to relx and be adventourous at the same time. i hate just lying there and doing nothing i need to be able to do things when im at the beach, i cant lie there and tan all day, for one, i basically dont burn or tan...i stay the same and secondly its just way too boring!
ReplyDeletethe first thing that i found intresting was the ocean absorb 1/4 of all the worlds carbon dioxide. this really shocked me, but i guess it makes sense when you think about how carbon dioxide goes into the atmoshpere, and ecentuallly finds its way into the water cycle
teh second thing i found intresting was thet 22% of all ocean floore species appeared in reefs, and that 44% are more likely to originate in reefs rather than outside the reef. i didnt realize that so much life stemmed from one single enviroment
1) Okay I completely agree with Alisha, the Whitehaven Island beach in Australia is my favorite for sure. The picture pretty much says it all. I have always always wanted to go to Australia and this beach looks calm and clean. I love that there isn't a language barrier in Australia and I want to experience the young daredevil culture. The colour of the water is exquisite and crystal clear. Peggy and Keisha just make sure you bring me on your second trip to Cuba... seeing that you miss is so much.
ReplyDelete2. a) I thought it was very interesting that new species were "45% more likely" to have originated inside coral reefs than outside them. We all know that coral reefs are full of life and key to a quite interconnected eco-system. I just had never thought about new species being created or evolving inside of coral reefs. I think that this fact simply proves even further why we should consciously take care of our existing coral reefs. (And do our best to keep them healthy)
b) From the last article I was interested in the fact that a coral reef that has lost its colour has lost its means of nourishment. We had read a previous article about the bleaching of the coral reef but I never quite understood what or why the coral would turn white. I have difficulty picturing such a colourful organism going completely white. My biggest question now is once a coral has lost its colour and nourishment is this bleaching effect reversible?!
Shelayne Mulholland
Rohan
ReplyDelete1.) All of the beaches look so beautiful, but I think I want to go to the beach at Sinclair's Bay in Scotland the most. I like that it isn't your typical beach. Even though it might not be the warmest beach out there, I love the cliffs on the side and then the rolling hills in the background. The sea is still a beautiful colour, and it says that the stand is still white and has a Caribbean look. I don't know what kind of building that is on the edge of the cliff, but it would be so amazing to live there. I would absolutely love to go to this beach in Scotland.
2.) Two things I found interesting: I didn't realize that coral reefs were not only an important habitat, but that they also protected coastal areas from flooding. I would like to find out more about how that works.
I also find it interesting that white syndrome occurs the most at the healthiest reefs. To me, that seems kind of backwards and i think that it's pretty interesting.
Wow, I can't believe I forgot to do this but whatever might as well learn more geography even if it doesn't count.
ReplyDelete1) All the beaches on that list were amazing, especially the beaches from Phillipines... yeah, represent! lol. However, I would like to visit the beach in Whitehaven Island, the Whitsundays, Queensland, Australia. I have heard from some friends that it is an amazing beach to see and that it is a popular tourist attraction. The gorgeous blue, warm, clear azure waters and the white sand is the main features that make me want to go to this beach. Also, Australia is on the top of my "Countries to visit before I die" list, so that's another plus!
P.S. I like how both Keisha and Peggy said that this assignment reminds them of Cuba and that they want to go back.
2) I never knew how important coral reefs are to all living things, that it is the "cradle of evolution". Just like many of the other students, I found it amazing that "nearly 22 per cent of ocean floor species first appeared in reefs, and that new species were 45 per cent more likely to have originated in reefs than outside reefs." Like what Rohan said, I also find it amazing that reefs protect coastal areas from flooding. Another thing that was interesting to me was that the healthiest reefs are the ones hit the hardest due to climate change. I thought that if you were healthier, you would live longer? I guess that's not the case for coral reefs.